1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention relates to gaming devices and, more particularly, to an anticounterfeiting device for gaming chips, typically used in casinos.
2. Description of Related Art
The use of counterfeit chips to defraud gaming establishments is a continuing problem. In a typical scheme, a counterfeit chip is exchanged for an authentic chip of high value, for example, $10,000, $20,000, or even $50,000, and the authentic chip cashed in. Because of the simple nature of typical gaming chips, they are relatively easily counterfeited. Various efforts to combat counterfeiting have been employed. These have included the use of chips of specially-selected colors, application of universal product codes or bar codes to the chips, holographic designs, and the employment of special computer chips embedded in the gaming chips. A universal problem with these various techniques is that only one chip at a time can be examined to discern whether it is authentic. Various methods are also expensive or impractical to implement. For example, the implementation of relatively inexpensive and small computer chips in gaming chips is impractical because the computer chips are destroyed by the high temperatures used in forming typical plastic gaming chips.